On April 4, 2004, one of the local ferals had a litter of kittens under our bedroom window. She spent the next five weeks in our yard, moving them about once a week to a new nest. Her last move was under the Mustang, the same place that Little Guy had brought Opie, Richie, DaNiece, Sammy and Angel. I spent the days of May 1st through May 8th out by the car, bringing out Fancy Feast and paper plates and dishing it up while the kittens (and mom) watched. The kittens got used to me pretty quickly and I'd pick them up and check them out.

Ross as a feral, with sister Rachel

There were five kittens, total. Three calicos, one torbie, and one black kitten with a white spot on the chest. I had mentioned the kittens on one of the online forums I frequented and a couple of my friends who are into rescue in the Los Angeles area, offered to take the kittens to socialize them and to adopt them out. We would also try to trap mom so that I could get her to the vet to be spayed.

Ross' first night here

My friends came down on May 8th and got stuck in traffic. While I was waiting for them, I went out to see if I would be able to get the kittens without any help. Amazingly, their mother was nowhere around. I was able to pick the kittens off, one by one. I was shaking and sweating, but I got each one with minimal effort. I took them into my bathroom, set them up with a covered carrier, lined with a towel and food and water.

During a conversation with one of the women earlier in the week, she'd let it out that she still had a black kitten that she'd had for months, a kitten no one wanted to adopt. Black kittens are the hardest to find homes for, more colorful kittens go much more quickly. Like calicos.

Brian and I talked about it and decided we'd keep the black kitten and one of the other kittens as well. We believe that, when bringing a kitten into a home with adult cats, it's better to have more than one kitten. That way, the kittens will play with one another (kittens have so darned much energy) and they will leave the adult cats alone. Adult cats can be very crabby, you know.

We named the little black boy "Ross".

Growing up

For more on Ross, go to my online diary. His story starts here.

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